Water skiing is a popular sport. Four basic types of water skis are used; pairs, slalom, trick and shoe skis. Pairs of skis are the easiest to use due to their length and relatively large surface area. The larger area of pairs of skis is particularly advantageous when starting from a position wherein the skier and skis are almost completely immersed in the water: sufficient force is produced at a lower speed to raise the skier out of the water sooner. Slalom skis have approximately half the surface area of pairs of skis, and are more difficult to use. Additional balance and strength are required to use slalom skis, particularly when starting from a standstill in the water. Some pairs of skis are therefore manufactured with two foot bindings on one ski so that the skier can drop a ski once underway and thereafter proceed on the other ski in slalom fashion.
Shoe skis generally have even less surface area than a slalom ski, and are correspondingly more difficult to use. Shoe skis are worn on both feet and comprise short pairs of skis. While a skier can start on a pair of skis and revert to a single slalom ski, this has not been possible heretofore with shoe skis. The difficulty in starting from a dead stop in the water has thus discouraged and even prevented many skiers from using shoe skis. There is thus a need for skis which enable a skier to start on long skis and later convert to shoe skis, if desired, while skiing.